KR2008 Alternate Storyline Episode 6
by SaiyaGirl1
Summary: Episode 6 - Mission de Sauvetage: The team scrambles to find David and Charles is the acting Director of FLAG. In the meantime, Kat and KITT have a new mission.
1. Chapter 1

**Knight Rider 2008 Alternate Storyline – Episode 6 – Mission de Sauvetage**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own KITT, though sometimes I wish I did. He would make driving the kids to school so awesome. I also do not own Charles Graiman. Though I do consider my version handsomer in a dorky kind of way. I think it's because mine his better hair. And a better face.

Author's Note: Welcome to Episode Six! Greetings to my new readers and my old friends alike! Wow! Episode Six! We've come such a long way in such a short time! And I won't be running out steam for a while yet. I am aching to finish this story arc, because then I will have all of you to rave about it to. **happy squeal**

So many questions will be answered within the next few episodes. I hope everyone stays with me till then! Enjoy the episode!

**Chapter 1**

**F.L.A.G Underground Facility**

Pierce and Charles sat side by side, in front of separate computers. They worked rapidly, typing at their keyboards. They didn't speak a word to each other, but anyone looking at them could tell that they worked in sync.

Kat watched from the side. She glanced over at K.I.T.T every now and then. Her expression was a little apprehensive.

Ian, who should have been working, was also watching Charles and Pierce. He drifted over to them, his eyes darting back and forth between their monitors.

As one, both men sat back in their chairs and sighed heavily.

"Done." Charles announced.

"Installing now." Pierce said, hitting a key.

They both pulled their arms behind their backs and stretched. They glanced at each other and laughed.

"So, what does the new programming do?" Kat asked anxiously. She glanced over at K.I.T.T again. The red light on his hood flowed back and forth rapidly as the new programming was installed. "Is KITT still himself?"

Charles stood up and walked over to her. "Relax Katherine. We didn't touch KITT's AI." He put his hands on her shoulders, his expression was soothing.

Kat still looked doubtful. She looked over at Pierce.

"Charles is right." Pierce assured her. "What we did was just tighten the parameters of his existing programming. Added new rules and protocols. Restricted the actions he takes on his own."

"Like a cage?" Kat asked pointedly.

Pierce snorted. "More like a net trying to hold in a whale." He ruffled the hair on the back of his head.

"KITT's AI has grown faster than we predicted." Charles told her gravely. "It's _too_ fast. He's learning too much at once, it's made him reckless and unpredictable. We're doing this to help him, not hinder him. His AI will grow at a safer pace. At a pace that he can also gain experience and wisdom."

Kat's brows knit together worriedly. "How did you do it?" She asked. "How did you restrict something as powerful as KITT?"

Charles dropped his hands from her shoulders. "They only way we could." He answered. "We bound him closer to his Driver." Kat looked at him sharply. "There is very little now that he can do without your permission. Should cut down on the recklessness."

She walked over to K.I.T.T, who was still in his truck body. She placed a hand on his hood. He didn't respond to the touch, as his new programming was still installing.

"He saved my life with that recklessness." Kat said quietly. "Andrew Corlan's as well."

"So many things could have gone horribly wrong." Pierce told her seriously. "There had to be a better way of doing things."

Kat nodded, not looking at him. "Maybe."

"Installation complete." K.I.T.T announced.

"How do you feel?" Kat asked him.

K.I.T.T was silent for a second. "Strange."

"Restricted?"

"Yes, it's not a comfortable feeling. It's very inhibiting."

"KITT, you drove out of the top floor of a skyscraper. You need some inhibitions." Kat said gently.

"You're right, of course." K.I.T.T answered.

"It makes you more human, if that helps." Kat offered. "Humans have all kinds of inhibitions." She thought for a moment. "Most of them anyway."

"Why would I ever want to be more human?" K.I.T.T asked, sounding vaguely horrified.

Kat raised an eyebrow. "Is that an insult?" She couldn't help but smile a little.

"Of course not. I just like being me."

"Me too." Kat said. "I'm glad that you're still you."

Pierce stretched again in his chair. "Ugh, back to work. We still have to find out what happened to David."

Charles turned to Kai and Rei. "No word?" He asked.

They shook their heads. "We'll let you know as soon as we hear anything." Rei assured him.

"Boss." Kai smiled.

Charles gave him a slightly exasperated look. "I am only acting Director until David returns." He said firmly.

Kai turned to his sister. "Better enjoy it while it lasts." He said.

Something on Rei's computer beeped. "Looks like we have some information." She said. "The forensics analysis of David's jacket came back." She brought the results up to the big screen. Everyone focused their attention on it.

A 3D rendering of David's jacket was on the screen. "The jacket was tested with Luminol, revealing two small drops of blood that had been cleaned off of the collar." Rei highlighted the spot on the jacket and switched to a close up view, showing two bright green drops.

"Were you able to do a DNA Test?" Charles asked quickly.

"The sample was very small, and the Luminol diluted it further, but they were able to do a Mitochondrial analysis." Rei answered. "It's not David's."

Charles nodded. He stared at the big screen intently. Kat could just imagine that brilliant mind, firing on all cylinders, calculating every angle.

Rei continued. "We also found gun powder residue on his sleeve."

"He did shoot out an elevator panel." Pierce offered.

"The amount of gunpowder and the pattern of the residue suggest that he fired his gun on more than one occasion." Rei said.

Pierce nodded. "So, there was a conflict. It's definite that he didn't disappear under his own power."

"It's not something David would do, anyway." Charles said. "David's not the type to just run off."

"You don't think one of the assassins..." Pierce looked troubled.

Kat shook her head. "His body wasn't at the building. An assassin wouldn't have bothered taking it with them, especially with the building blowing up."

"So, we're looking at a possible capture." Charles said.

"David's been kidnapped." Kat agreed.

"I wish I could say 'good riddance'." A female voice came from above them.

Everyone looked up to the walkway. A woman with strawberry-blond hair and turquoise eyes was looking down at everyone. She was frowning ruefully.

"Karen!" Charles exclaimed. He climbed the stairs quickly. "There is no need to worry, we'll find him as soon as possible." He reassured her quietly when he reached her.

"Oh I know." Karen said bitterly, leaning her forearms on the railing. She glanced over at Charles. "But, do you have to?" She pouted a little.

Charles sighed. "We need David here." He said. "There's a reason he's in charge. I can't run FLAG. I'm just a scientist."

Karen arched a perfect reddish-blond brow. "_Just_?" She nodded down at K.I.T.T. "Not many scientists create something like that." She frowned darkly.

"You don't like KITT." Charles said knowingly.

Karen shuddered. "Definitely not. I've seen it in action, and the videos. That thing is a monster on wheels." She shook her head. "I hope you know what you're doing."

"KITT is perfectly safe." Charles assured her confidently.

Karen Summers gave him a steady look. "I'll pray that you're right. You know better than anyone what happens when an AI goes wrong."

Charles' expression was wary. "What are you saying? Where are you getting your information?"

"The FBI keeps it's own records, Charles. I didn't have to do very much digging." Karen told him.

"KITT's different." Charles told her firmly. "His Primary Directive isn't self-preservation. It's the protection of human life."

Karen's expression was calculating. "We'll see." She said.

********

"Once again it seems that out FBI liaison has ties with David." Kat mused. She glanced over at K.I.T.T.

"I'm still not authorized to give you any information on David." He told her. "My apologies."

Kat's eyes narrowed. "No worries, I have other sources of information." She walked over to Carmen's workstation. Carmen was gathering various parts and ordering her mechanics around. "What are you up to?" Kat asked.

"KITT begged me to change him back to the Camaro." Carmen said. "I'm getting the parts ready now."

"So, no more disguising?" Kat asked.

"Like being the truck helped! They kidnapped David this time!" Carmen exclaimed.

"You think it's the same guys then?" Kat asked.

"Who else would it be?" Carmen looked Kat up and down. "What about you? What brings you over here?"

"Karen Summers and David. I want information." Kat said smoothly.

Carmen gave her a shrewd look. "What's in it for me?" She asked.

"I'll trade dinner duties for a night." Kat offered.

Carmen thought it over. "Deal." She gestured for Kat to come closer. Kat bent her head down. Carmen pointed up to the walkway where Karen and Charles were talking quietly. She dropped her voice to a low murmur. "That woman there is the former Mrs. David Marks."

Kat's mouth fell open. "Get out of here!" She smacked Carmen's arm. Carmen grinned. "David was _married_?"

"Once upon a time." Carmen sighed dramatically. "Years ago, back-in-college kind of thing. Before Karen became Agent Summers."

"Where did you get this?" Kat asked.

"I don't divulge my sources. Just be assured that they are very accurate." Carmen answered.

"Wow." Kat said, her expression disbelieving. "David was married. _Married._" She shivered. "Ugh."

Carmen gave her a look. "Is that so hard to believe?" She asked. "He's not bad looking, and he must have had feelings at some point."

Kat thought about it for a moment. "I guess he's attractive enough, but that goes to zero when you consider how he jettisoned his heart in exchange for that black hole in his chest."

Carmen snickered. "I have to remember that one." She turned to Enrique. "Enri, are we ready?" She called.

"_Si, Tia._" Enrique called back. "All ready for the refitting." He walked over to the two women. His face broke out into a charming smile when he saw Kat. "Want to watch?" He asked.

Kat was confused. "I thought I wasn't allowed to watch." She said. "David doesn't want me knowing anything about KITT's engine."

Enrique winked at her. "David's not here, is he?"

"It's not like you'll understand anything you'll see." Carmen shrugged. "Come on."

Kat's eyes were on Enrique's face. "All right." She said.

"Come on, KITT!" Carmen called to him. "We're ready."

K.I.T.T rolled silently off of his circle. He drove slowly towards one of the rooms that led off from the Main Lab. "Did you get the information you wanted from Carmen?" He asked in Kat's ear.

"Yep, maybe a bit more than I expected." Kat answered. She walked beside him.

"Then why did you smack her on the arm?"

"That sometimes happens during girl talk." Kat said. "It's dangerous like that. Kind of like how men get in locker rooms."

"Girl talk isn't something I see you engage in often." K.I.T.T remarked.

Kat shrugged. "Eh, once a month or so."

"Is it at regular intervals, as part of your menstrual cycle?" He asked.

"KITT, shut up!" Kat exclaimed.

Carmen, Enrique, and the other mechanics looked at her strangely. Kat ducked her head. "Thank god you didn't say that out loud." She muttered.


	2. Chapter 2

**Knight Rider 2008 Alternate Storyline – Episode 6 – Mission de Sauvetage**

Author's Note: Please excuse my French in this chapter. I know it's utterly horrible. It'll only get worse too.

These chapters I am dedicating to one of my readers. Amy, I hope everything goes well for you and you will return to us soon. In the mean time, I hope you like your digital counterpart. You see a glimpse of her in this chapter, but there will be much more next chapter.

**Chapter 2**

F.L.A.G Underground Facility

"Welcome to my garage." Carmen said proudly.

"It's huge." Kat said in awe. She walked down the long room, past row after row of automobile parts. They were all suspended up on steel-frame shelves. "How many different bodies does KITT have?"

"Not enough." Carmen grinned.

K.I.T.T was too heavy for mere jacks to support him, so he had a hydraulic lift. He drove onto it while Carmen closed the door of the garage. The door was huge and made of titanium. After it was closed, Carmen locked it by punching a few numbers into a keypad on the door next to it.

Kat staked out a spot by the door, out of the way. She leaned against the wall. The mechanics began rolling a few of those steel shelves over to the space where K.I.T.T was. Kat couldn't recognize the parts as being K.I.T.T's Camaro body. Admittedly, she didn't know much about cars, and she was interested about how they were going to make one out of all those pieces.

Carmen placed her hand on the Driver's door. A green panel flared to life under her hand, scanning it. A green keypad screen appeared next to it. Carmen punched in a long series of numbers. Kat guessed that she was too short to interact comfortably with the hood on the truck, so she was using the door.

She passed the security check and the hood popped open. Kat watched with intense concentration. She knew that Carmen was right, she wasn't going to understand what she was seeing, but she was going to absorb as much as possible.

Carmen walked around to the front. She climbed up, wrench in hand. She worked under the hood for a bit. Enrique walked up to her and waited. She pulled out a large, unidentifiable piece of bright silver machinery and handed it to him. He brought it over to an empty steel shelf and hung it up.

Kat's eyebrow arched. "Is that KITT's engine?" She asked.

"_Si_, half of it." Carmen said while she worked.

"Half?"

"It's in two pieces." Carmen pulled out another large piece of machinery. Neither of the pieces looked like any kind of engine that Kat had ever seen. Not even if you placed them together.

"How much does each piece weigh?" Kat asked. She knew that most engines weighed in about 1000 pounds. But Carmen was lifting these pieces out by herself, instead of using a crane.

"About seventy-five pounds each." Carmen replied as Enrique hung up the other piece.

"How is that possible?" Kat asked. "How can it be so light? KITT's so much heavier than a normal car."

"You should know the answer to that." Carmen told her. "It's in the book I gave you."

Kat thought back. "The Molecular-Bonded Shell." She said at last,

"There you go." Carmen said. "The Shell doubles KITT's normal weight. I compensate for that by making the other parts as light as possible. I can't tell you why KITT's engine is so light though. _Lo siento_."

"_De nada._" Kat said dismissively. "Just seeing this is cool enough." She watched with morbid fascination as K.I.T.T was quickly being dismantled. "Does it hurt?" Kat asked him anxiously.

"Not at all." K.I.T.T replied. "Though I do think it's unfair that you get to see me undressed, while I do not get to see you undressed." Carmen chuckled quietly while she worked.

Kat grimaced, crossing her arms over her chest and looking away. "Totally different things, KITT." She told him.

"Not to me." K.I.T.T replied. "Right now you are seeing me in my most vulnerable state. I cannot access many of my systems, save the cameras and microphones that are built into my dash. I have no means of defending myself against any attack. But there is no reason for me to defend myself, because I trust you."

Kat peered at him from the corner of her eye. "Fine then. I won't take my contacts out next time." She shrugged. "I don't care what a _car_ thinks." She muttered.

Carmen's eyebrows shot up. Enrique whistled. He rolled one tire off to the side and brought a smaller one up. "You're in trouble now KITT." He said as he bolted the wheel into place. "You've no idea of the Pandora's Box you just opened."

"I still have victory on the matter of principles." K.I.T.T replied.

Kat sulked for a bit more, but eventually turned back to watching the refitting. It was pretty amazing to see. Carmen, Enrique and three other mechanics all worked at once. No one got in anyone else's way. They each had their tasks to do and they did them quickly and efficiently.

Kat noticed that some parts they hung up and rolled away, and others were set aside. Enrique noticed her puzzled expression. "KITT's only got the one engine, so it goes in the 'stay pile'. That and the dash, the CPU Core, and some of the circuitry."

Kat saw that they really didn't take the dash out. They just stripped everything off the dash and frame, leaving the seats, and put the Camaro parts on around it. Then they replaced the engine.

"Done!" Carmen announced, closing the hood.

Kat checked her watch, only half an hour had passed. "Wow. Is this your quickest time?" She asked Carmen.

Carmen shook her head. "Nah, we're trained in case of emergency. We can get KITT into a new body in ten minutes if we really push it." Kat whistled low.

Carmen walked over to the door, unlocking it. "Come on KITT." She said.

"One second." Kat ran lightly over to the car. She opened the door and got in. She looked behind her, at the backseat. She sighed in relief. "Thank goodness it's all back to normal."

"I see we agree that this body is the better one." KITT said as he drove out of the garage.

"Oh yeah." Kat said. "You don't need some huge muscle-car body, KITT. You're too cool for that. Much more sophisticated."

"That's how we roll." K.I.T.T replied.

Kat grinned. "I see Ian's been teaching you slang."

"I've been learning."

A screen flared to life on the windshield, showing Charles' face. "Katherine, can you come up to my office? I have a mission for you."

********

"What's up?" Kat asked once she was in Charles' office. "Is it about David?"

Charles shook his head sadly. "Still no word. If he has truly been kidnapped, his captors will contact us eventually. Hopefully. If they want something from us." He looked pretty grim.

"We'll get him back." Kat told him. He gave her a long, tired look, then nodded. "Now, you mentioned something about a mission?" Kat asked. "Nothing like busy hands to get your mind off of things."

"I just received a call from an old friend of mine." Charles said. "They need help."

"When it rains, it pours, huh?" Kat asked.

"Apparently." Charles agreed.

Kat sat in the chair across from Charles' desk. "What are the details?" She asked.

"The French Minister of Defense is visiting in Los Angeles with his daughter. Since they arrived, they have been getting numerous threatening letters. This morning the daughter, Aimée, was taken."

"She was kidnapped?" Kat asked.

Charles nodded. "The Minister distrusts Americans as a general rule. He does not wish to involve the police. He feels that they will not care if his daughter is harmed as long as they catch the kidnapper."

"If he distrusts us, then why is he visiting?" Kat asked in confusion.

"His daughter is a singer." Charles explained. "Nothing very big, she is just starting out. Though she is very popular in France. She got an offer for a commercial over here and she and her father were checking it out."

"I can see that this is a delicate situation." Kat said. "Her father doesn't trust us already. If she is harmed, then ties between America and France will be fractured."

Charles waved his hand. "That doesn't matter. It's doesn't matter who her father is." He told her. "We're just helping someone who needs it. All you have to focus on is getting that young girl back to her father."

Kat nodded. "You're right." She said, getting out of her chair. "I'll go fill in KITT."

"Thank you, Katherine." Charles said in relief.

"You know, you _are_ acting Director." Kat told him. "You can just send KITT and me out anywhere. You didn't have to explain everything. David wouldn't."

Charles rubbed his temples wearily. "I'm not David, and I am hardly cut out to be the Director. Acting or otherwise."

"Nah, I liked you explaining things." Kat said. "It's nice." She walked over to the door.

"We really need David." Charles said. "Not niceness."

"You would know better than I." She exited the office.

********

Outside of Los Angeles, California

K.I.T.T zoomed down the highway, pushing 90. Kat let him drive while she talked to Pierce. "Okay, what information were you able to gather?" She asked.

"We tracked her cellphone, piece of cake. The kidnapper is an amateur or he would have ditched the battery." Pierce said. "I've already sent KITT the address."

"Oh, if only all missions were this easy for you." Kat teased.

"Bah. I want a really good mystery to sink my teeth into." Pierce said.

"Be careful what you wish for." Kat told him. "We still have to find David."

"Yeah. We might have a lead on that." Pierce said. "When K.I.T.T patched into the security system he downloaded all of the video feeds. Kai and Rei are looking through them now, to see if we can plot David's route through the building on camera."

"How long do you think it will take?" Kat asked.

"Well, there were over two thousand cameras in the building. It's going to take some time." Pierce answered.

Kat's eyebrows shot up. "Two thousand?" She looked at K.I.T.T's modulator. "You downloaded video feed from two thousand cameras? How big is your hard drive space?" She asked.

"375 terabytes." K.I.T.T answered promptly.

"I have to stop being so surprised by you all the time." She said to him. "I'm going to develop a neurosis."

********

Aimée woke to the sound of men arguing. She opened her eyes slowly. She was lying against a wall. Her hands were bound behind her back.

"I'm telling you, make the call now." Someone was saying.

"Let him stew a bit. The more he worries, the more likely we'll get the cash." Another voice countered.

Aimée was confused. Where was she? She looked around. The space she was in was very dark and cramped. Light came in from under a doorway. Was this a closet?

She tried to remember how she had gotten here. She had been with Papa. They were waiting outside of the television studio. Then there had been the sound of a car behind her.

She couldn't remember anything after that.

Why was she tied up? Who had done this to her and why?

She felt panic rising in her chest, making her breathing quicken. "_Laisser sortir, s'il vous plaît!_" She cried.

The arguing outside of the closet ceased. "She's awake." One of them said.

"What did she say?" Another asked.

Aimée tried again, concentrating on her English. "Please... let me out." She pleaded.

There was the sound of footsteps coming toward her. "You just sit tight for a bit. Wait until we speak to Daddy." A gruff voice told her. "If you stay quiet, then things will go by more easily."

She had been kidnapped. Panic seized her heart. It beat frantically. "Please..." She could feel tears pricking her eyes. "Let me go..."

There was a loud banging on the closet door that made her jump. She scrambled away from the door. "Quiet!"

Aimée whimpered. She felt tears sliding down her cheeks. "Someone, help me..." She whispered.


	3. Chapter 3

**Knight Rider 2008 Alternate Storyline – Episode 6 – Mission de Sauvetage**

**Chapter 3**

"We are three blocks from our destination." K.I.T.T announced.

"Go into Stealth Mode." Kat told him while she dug through the glove compartment. "Looks like Carmen and Pierce weren't really sure what I would need." She commented. She pulled out her plastic handcuff spool, a spare set of contacts, a police badge, her compact tool case, a tazer, her transforming key, a silver tracking pen with receiver, and a pack of bubble gum.

Kat picked up the gum. She turned it over in her hand. "What's this?" She asked.

"Bubble gum." K.I.T.T answered.

She shot his monitor an exasperated look. "I know that's what it _looks_ like. I am wondering if Pierce is going all 007 on me and giving me explosives or something."

"It's just bubble gum." K.I.T.T replied.

Kat contemplated it for a moment, and pocketed the gum. She took everything else as well. She also took a second to harden her shirt.

"We have arrived." K.I.T.T said, coming to a halt and cutting his engine.

Kat looked outside. They were in front of a derelict building, about nine stories high. "Run a scan on the building. X-ray and FLIR."

"Forward Looking Infrared scan is picking up five heat signatures inside of the building." K.I.T.T displayed the scan on the windshield.

Kat studied the display. The 'heat signatures' were five people on the top floor. Four were clustered together, seated around what might be a table. The other was lying on it's side not too far away.

Kat looked over the building itself. The windows and doors were boarded up. "KITT, display all possible entrances into the building and list options."

"There is one functioning door on the side of the building. It's bolted shut, but I could ram it in quite easily. There is also a fire escape that leads up to the room housing the suspects and the victim."

Kat thought it over for a bit. "You ram the entrance, I will take the fire escape. Wait until I get up to the top floor, and make sure you make as much noise as possible." She opened the door and got out.

"You are using me as a distraction." K.I.T.T concluded.

"You catch on quick." Kat told him.

"Should I stay invisible when I ram the door?" He asked in her ear.

"Sure, why not? Let them wonder." She made her way to the side of the building. It was noon, and the sun was shining brightly overhead. That meant that Aimée had been missing for three hours now.

She found the fire escape and began climbing up slowly. Her leg no longer pained her anymore unless she exerted herself, but it was still weaker and got tired more easily.

Once she was eight stories up, she looked up to the ninth floor. There was a window there that was not boarded up. The kidnappers had probably cleared it in case of emergency.

"Okay KITT, ram the door." Kat whispered.

********

Aimée lay on the closet floor silently. Her arms and legs were starting to cramp from being bound so long. She was scared, and she was hungry. Were her captors going to feed her? Or did they not care?

Papa would get her out of this. She knew it. The kidnappers just wanted money. Papa would pay them. Papa would rescue her.

Dimly, she heard a terrible screech, like from tires. Then a loud crash that made the floor under her vibrate a little.

"What the hell?" One of her captors said. She heard his chair scrape the floor as he got up.

"Check the camera." Another said.

"The front door's been destroyed." The first one answered.

"Looks like we've been found out." Another voice said, taking charge. "B, D, come with me to check it out. A, stay here with the girl." There was the sound of more chairs scraping the floor and footsteps fading away.

What was going on?

********

Kat peered through the window. Only one of the kidnappers was left. A large man wearing jeans and a black T-Shirt. He was sitting back in his chair lazily. Upon further examination Kat decided that 'large' was too tame a word to use for this man. He was huge, and seemed to be entirely composed of muscle.

Kat prayed that only one tranquilizer needle took him down. There were still three other men in the building and she only had three needles. Which left her one short as it was.

The window was open, so Kat aimed through it at the large man. He must have spotted movement out of the corner of his eye, because he turned to her just as she fired.

One needle was sufficient. He collapsed spectacularly to the floor, destroying the chair he was sitting on.

Kat climbed in through the window. "Where's the victim?" She asked KITT.

"To your left."

Kat turned and spotted a closet door. She jogged over to it and tried the handle. It was locked, and looked pretty sturdy, despite how old and derelict the building was. A new addition then.

She took the lock out with her laser. She opened the door.

A young girl in her early teens was lying on the floor. Her hands and feet were bound with what looked like bungee cords. Her hair was platinum blond and incredibly long. Her eyes were a brilliant emerald. She blinked up at Kat in confusion and fear.

"It's okay." Kat said gently. "I'm here to help you."

Relief was apparent on her face. "Please untie me." She begged.

Kat looked around for something to cut the girl's bonds with. The man she had knocked out was wearing a knife. "That'll do." She retrieved the knife and cut the girl's bonds.

"Kat, the three suspects are returning to your location swiftly. They are taking an elevator." K.I.T.T said in her ear.

"We have to get out of here, quickly." Kat helped the girl to her feet. She was dressed in designer jeans and a blouse, and she wore heels.

There were two doors in this room, as well as the window. One of the doors opened then, and the other three kidnappers entered. They quickly spotted Kat and Aimée and converged on them. Kat tried to go for the window, but was blocked. She didn't have enough darts for all of them, so she turned and dragged Aimée out the other door.

She slammed it closed behind her and used her laser to just melt the lock, rather than destroy it. They slammed into the door, which rattled. "That's not going to hold them long." Kat said.

Kat grabbed the girl's hand and pulled her down the hall. Aimée tripped over her heels almost at once. "_Un seconde!_" She cried, pulling them off. She hooked the straps over her fingers, and she and Kat fled.

"KITT, how do we get out of here?" Kat asked him. "I can't get out through the window. Can you download some schematics?"

"Who is Kit?" Aimée asked worriedly, as Kat appeared to be talking to herself. Kat ignored her. She didn't have time to explain.

"Already done. Look to your right." K.I.T.T told her. Kat complied. There was a large A67 painted on the wall in yellow.

K.I.T.T checked it against the schematics he had downloaded, as well as his X-Ray readings. "Turn left at the end of this hallway. There should be a staircase that will take you to the first floor. Then you can exit to the street."

Kat complied, turning left. She skidded to a halt. "KITT, the hallway here is blocked. I think the ceiling collapsed."

"Can you climb over the debris?"

Kat surveyed the wreckage. "No. It's impassable."

Back down the hallway, they heard a door burst open. Kat pulled Aimée into a side room. She closed the door till it was open just a crack and watched the hallway.

Kat turned to Aimée. She handed the girl the silver pen. "Carry this on you." She whispered. "It's a tracker so KITT knows where you are, though he has our position marked on FLIR. Inside of the cap is a receiver. Place it in your ear to talk to him. Understand?"

Aimée took the pen. She nodded, her wide blue eyes were grim. "I understand." Though she didn't really. Not all of it. But she understood enough. Her kidnappers were the bad guys. This woman and 'Kit' were the good guys and they would save her if she listened.

"Stay here, and I will distract them." Kat told Aimée.

Aimée clutched Kat's arm. "Don't leave me, you'll be hurt." She whispered.

"I'll be fine, the priority here is you. You're what they want. They did not appear to be carrying guns, so it'll be a piece of cake." Kat smiled reassuringly. "I can handle myself." Then she was gone.

Aimée heard shouts as the kidnappers chased after Kat. She shook all over in fright. The running footsteps faded away. Her legs gave out under her and she sank to the floor.

She was all alone now.

Aimée's hands shook as she fumbled with the silver pen. She took off the cap and the receiver fell to the floor. She felt around in the near darkness. Her fingers brushed against it and she picked it up. It was just a tiny nub of skin-colored plastic. She placed it in her ear. "Kit? Are you there? That woman left me. She is distracting my captors." Aimée's voice shook as tears rolled down her eyes. "I'm scared... Please... help me." She folded her arms over her knees and laid her head down on them. She began to sob uncontrollably.

"I'm here." K.I.T.T answered her. "Can you move?"

Aimée shook her head automatically. "No, I'm scared... Please come and get me." She said through her tears. "I can't do this by myself."

"I know it's difficult for you, but if you don't move, then I can't help you." K.I.T.T told her. "If you can move, then I can rescue you."

Aimée's sniffling subsided a little. "You'll save me?" She asked in a small voice.

"I assure you that I will do whatever I can to get you out of there safely. But you need to move, I can only guide you." K.I.T.T said as gently as he could.

"All right..." Aimée got to her feet shakily. "Where am I?" She asked.

"You're on the ninth floor. This building was once a television station. The layout of the hallways and stairs are designed to be confusing to terrorists and bombers, which also makes it confusing for you. But I have the schematics right here and I can take you through it. All right?"

"All right." Aimée said again slowly. "Where do I go first?"

"Exit the room you are in. Do not go back the way you came. They left someone there to guard the fire escape and elevator. Walk down to the end of the hallway, Kat's led the other kidnappers to another part of this floor, so it's clear. There should be a door there. The stairs are on the other side. You'll have to go only one flight down, because these stairs don't go down past that."

Aimée exited the room and walked down the hallway slowly, holding onto the wall for support. Her knees were shaking so badly she didn't think they could hold her up. She desperately tried some conversation to distract herself.

"Kit? Why are you helping me?" She asked quietly as she wiped away her tears.

"As a favor to your father." K.I.T.T replied.

"You know my Papa?" Aimée asked in surprise.

"My father does. Do you know Charles Graiman?"

"_Oncle Charles!_" Aimée exclaimed in delight and relief. "I haven't seen him since I was small. He always had the best birthday presents." She thought for a moment. "I didn't realize he had a son."

"I'm not his biological offspring." K.I.T.T said. "It's a joke around here that he is my father. Though, if anyone is, then it would be him."

"Oh, you're adopted, you poor thing." Aimée said sympathetically. She reached the door and pushed it open, revealing the stairs. She began climbing up.

"Technically, no. I'm not sure how much I should tell you about myself."

Aimée smiled weakly. "You can tell me as much as you wish. I like you, Kit."

"Thank you." K.I.T.T replied.

********

Kat had managed to take out another kidnapper with her needles. She had missed on the first shot though, so that left one still after her. He had cornered her at the end of a hallway.

Kat stood in a crouch, facing him as he walked slowly towards her. "No more fancy tricks?" He asked warily. He had a wicked looking knife in his hand.

Kat didn't try running anymore, the injured muscle in her leg was seizing up. "Sorry, all out. It's just you and me." She said.

The wary look didn't leave his face. "Like you'd tell me if you had something left up your sleeve." He said.

"Only one way to find out." Kat told him.

The man lunged at her with the knife. Kat grabbed his wrist with both hands, expertly disarming him. The knife fell to the floor. She would have followed the maneuver up smoothly with a kick to the gut, but she wasn't sure if her leg was up to that, so she hesitated.

The man took the opportunity to punch her in the stomach. He howled in pain, backing off. He shook his injured hand. "You broke my hand, you bi-" His indignant cry was cut off as Kat chanced a kick. Her boot connected to the side of his head and he crumpled to the floor.

"Whoops, looks like I still had one trick left." Kat retrieved the knife and limped quickly down the hallway.


	4. Chapter 4

**Knight Rider 2008 Alternate Storyline – Episode 6 – Mission de Sauvetage**

**Chapter 4**

"I'm lost again." Aimée said worriedly. She looked all around, down several corridors. She could feel panic rising in her chest again.

"You're not lost. I am picking up your tracker signal and heat signature perfectly." K.I.T.T told her. "Continue straight down the hall. You will come to a staircase leading down two floors."

"Thank you so much Kit." Aimée said in relief. "I couldn't do this without you."

"Humans are highly tenacious and adaptable. You would have found a way."

Aimée smiled weakly. "I know I am still learning English. But, you talk very strangely."

"My apologies."

"Do not apologize, it's funny. I like it."

"Well then, thank you."

She looked all around, at the old creaking floors and bland walls with peeling paint. Aged equipment littered the floor. "It's so dull here, at least I have you to talk to. I would go mad otherwise. What can you tell me about yourself?" Aimée asked. "What are things that you like?"

"I listen to music." K.I.T.T offered. "I have a very large collection."

"Really? I'm a singer myself, back at home." Aimée told him. "I'm not popular here in the States. I'm hoping to be one day though, that's why I came here."

"I know." K.I.T.T replied. "I was listening to your songs on the way here."

Aimée paused in surprise. "Y-you've heard my music?" She asked.

"Yes, you have a very beautiful voice. I particularly enjoyed '_Seul Papillon'_. It had several elements that remind me of myself."

Aimée felt her heart speed up. A light blush tinged her cheeks. "You understood it? You speak French?"

"_Bien sûr que oui_." K.I.T.T replied.

"_Merci mille fois._" She said softly.

"Your thanks are unneeded." K.I.T.T replied, switching back to English.

"You should accept thanks when they are given." Aimée told him as she continued down the hallway. "Especially when they are given sincerely. Unless you are trying to insult me?" Her voice turned coy.

"It is not my intention to insult you. Your thanks are appreciated."

Aimée laughed. It was a small laugh, with a nervous edge. She spotted a large D56 painted on the wall. Each hallway she had gone through was marked, probably left over from when the studio was in use. "I have reached D56. How much further until I am out of here?"

"Only three more floors. I am waiting for you right outside."

"I am looking forward to meeting you, Kit." Aimée said earnestly.

"Likewise." K.I.T.T replied.

********

"Okay, how do I get out of here?" Kat asked.

"Down two flights and you will meet up with Aimée." K.I.T.T replied.

Kat hit the staircase and headed down. Her leg had seized up pretty badly, so her going was slow. Dustin hadn't been kidding when he told her two months. Three weeks had not been enough for her to heal properly. "KITT, once we find David, I am going to take a vacation, wanna come with? Find someplace sunny..."

"Kat, there is danger above you." K.I.T.T informed her.

Kat looked up. The huge man from before was looking down at her from two stories up. As she watched he swung himself over the stair rail onto the stairs above her. Then he swung over another rail and landed in front of her.

"You've got to be kidding me." Kat said, her eyes wide.

The huge man just smirked and cracked his knuckles. "Ready to dance, little miss?" He said in a deep voice.

Kat's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You asked for it." She said.

********

Aimée turned the corner, to the last staircase. She stopped when she spotted Kat and the huge man facing off on the stairs.

Kat looked weary, but determined. The huge man just chuckled.

Aimée hunted around in the debris. She picked up half of a wooden chair and ran up the steps. Before the huge man had time to turn, she brought the chair down on the back of his head.

The blow barely fazed him. He turned, angry and menacing, on Aimée. Aimée's eyes widened in fright, and she backed away.

Kat took the moment of distraction to lunge at the man. Aimée watched as the huge man shook, then passed out. She moved out of the way as he crashed down the stairs and lay still at the bottom.

Kat limped down the stairs, pocketing her tazer, and checked on him. "He's still alive, but he will have one hell of a bruise." She remarked as she bound the huge man's hands. She used two ties, just in case.

She looked up at Aimée and held out her hand. "Let's get out of here. KITT, contact the authorities so they can clean up this mess."

"Calling 911 now." K.I.T.T replied in her ear.

Aimée took Kat's hand and they made their way outside together, over the rammed in door. Kat surveyed the wreckage. "Remind me never to get on your bad side, KITT." She muttered.

The warm sunlight was like heaven on Aimée's face. "Grâce à Dieu!" She exclaimed with a smile that was just as radiant.

They made their way over to the car slowly, because of Kat's limp. Kat spotted movement out of the corer of her eye. One of the kidnappers, the one who had stayed behind on the top floor, was sneaking down the fire escape. "Going to try again?" Kat called to him challengingly.

"No thank you!" The man called back. "I've had enough, seeya!"

"Tranq him." Kat said quietly.

K.I.T.T, who was visible again, shot a tranquilizer dart at the fleeing man, who collapsed immediately.

Aimée ran to the car, leaving Kat behind. "Kit?" She called. The passenger's door opened. She smiled dazzlingly and rushed to it. She peered inside.

An expression of confusion crossed her face. She stepped into the car, looking into the backseat. She stepped out of the car again, one hand on the window. She turned to Kat. "Where is Kit?" She called. Kat gestured to the car, too tired to shout.

Aimée peered back into the car. "Kit?"

"Yes, Aimée?" K.I.T.T replied.

Aimée's confusion intensified. "Where are you? Are you controlling the car from somewhere?" She looked around.

"No, I'm right here. I am the Knight Industries Three Thousand, KITT for short. Charles Graiman created me."

It took Aimée a second to understand. When she did, she bowed her head. Her long hair hid her face. "I am an idiot." She mumbled quietly.

Kat had reached the car by then. She took in Aimée's dejected posture. "KITT, what did you do to her?" She asked accusingly.

"Nothing that I am aware of." K.I.T.T sounded somewhat baffled.

"It's nothing, never mind." Aimée said dully, getting into the passenger's seat.

Kat waited until the police arrived. She flashed them her badge and explained the situation. She told them that she would return Aimée to her father. They asked her a few questions, then let them go.

********

Kat eyed the girl in the other seat. She had been quiet for nearly the entire drive. "How are you holding up?" She asked.

"I'm hungry." The girl admitted.

Kat reached into her pocket. "All I have is gum." She offered it to her.

Aimée's expression brightened a little. "My favorite." She said. "It will do till I get back to the hotel." She took the gum. "_Merci_."

"You're welcome. I'm Katherine by the way." Kat introduced herself.

"I am Aimée." The girl said as she opened the pack of gum.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Kat said politely.

"Thank you for saving me." The girl responded, somewhat dejectedly. Kat left her alone, not knowing what else to say. "So, you really are just a car, KITT?" She asked, pouting. "It's not a trick?"

"My apologies, Aimée," K.I.T.T answered. "It wasn't my intention to mislead you."

Aimée folded her arms across her chest and frowned cutely. She muttered to herself in French.

K.I.T.T replied to her in French as well, leaving Kat completely out of the conversation. She frowned, but turned back to the road. They talked like this for several minutes.

Aimée's expression cleared. She smiled dazzlingly. "Do you mean that?" She asked. Kat had no idea why she had switched back to English. Unless it was just to be annoying.

"Of course." K.I.T.T answered.

"Oh, thank you KITT!" Aimée leaned forward and kissed his dash, leaving a smudge of lipstick. Kat's eyebrows shot up. What had they said to each other?

They reached Aimée's hotel. Kat parked and opened her door. "We're here." She said shortly.

"_Un seconde_." Kat watched as the girl rummaged in her pockets. She pulled out a sharpie and a scrap of paper. She scribbled a number and a few words on it, then placed it on the dash. "Let me know if you ever visit Paris." Aimée smiled.

K.I.T.T opened her door. She stepped out after giving K.I.T.T's Voice Modulator a fond look. Kat stepped out of the car and walked around to K.I.T.T's hood. Aimée ran her nails lightly over the glossy black finish, then followed Kat into the hotel.

Kat had to make sure that Aimée and her father were reunited, so she sat in the lobby with her. Aimée was humming cheerfully to herself. She turned to Kat suddenly, smiling that radiant smile again.

Kat gave her a questioning look. "What is your relationship to KITT?" She asked brightly.

Kat arched a brow. Relationship? "We're partners, I guess you could say." Kat shrugged.

Somehow, Aimée's smile turned nearly blinding. Her emerald eyes sparkled. Kat didn't think that this girl would have any trouble getting a contract in the states. Anyone that looked at her would be utterly dazzled. "Then you are not his _petite amie_?"

Kat wasn't quite sure what she had said, but she could guess. "KITT's a car." She said, in a tone that was pointing out the very obvious.

Aimée tilted her head to one side, giving Kat a sympathetic look. "I know." She said.

Kat was horribly confused. She didn't have to dwell on it long though, because Aimée suddenly jumped up. "Papa!" She cried, running headlong across the lobby.

She collided with a short man in a blue business suit. He had black hair that was balding on top and the skin on his face was sagging slightly. "_Mon ange_!" He cried, wrapping his arms around the girl and hugging her tightly.

Kat stood up slowly, her leg muscles were stiff from sitting. She walked over to the pair and held her hand out to Aimée's father. "It's a pleasure to meet an old friend of Dr. Graiman's." She said, smiling.

The man looked up, then glared suspiciously at her hand. "That man is no friend of mine." He said coldly. "I am grateful to have my daughter back. But you tell him that under no circumstances must he believe that I owe him anything."

He turned, one arm around Aimée's shoulders and stalked away. Kat dropped her hand. She hadn't thought she could be any more confused before, but then, here she was now...

Aimée pulled away from him. He looked at her. It was his turn to be confused. She whispered something to him, then turned back to Kat. She walked over.

"Don't mind Papa." She said apologetically. "He's been like this since the divorce. Thank you again so much for saving me. Tell KITT again too, and _Oncle Charles._"

"I'm glad that you're safe." Kat told her.

Aimée smiled cheerfully. "Till we meet again." She spun around lightly and returned to her father.

********

F,L.A.G Underground Facility

"And, that's it." Kat finished her report to Charles. They sat in his office, on opposite sides of his desk.

Charles sighed in relief. "Thank goodness you brought her back safely." He said.

Kat nodded. "Her father was very suspicious, as you said. But I didn't think he would act that way about an old friend." She remarked.

"Actually, it's Aimée's mother that I was old friends with. She was the one that called me." Charles admitted.

Kat arched one dark brow as sudden understanding struck her. "Dr. Graiman..." She said teasingly,

Charles coughed lightly. "I believe that Pierce has uncovered some new information about David's capture while you were gone." He said, standing up.

Kat stood as well. She wandered over to a shelf by the desk. It held old photos and awards. "Is Aimée's mother one of these?" She asked curiously.

Charles nodded. He walked over to the shelf and picked up a picture. "This is her. Amélie." There was a soft fondness in his voice that Kat picked up immediately.

Kat looked at the picture. "She's very beautiful. Her daughter takes after her." Charles nodded again. Kat spotted something on the shelf that had been hidden behind the picture. She moved another picture out of the way. "I didn't know you made models." She said.

Sitting side by side on the shelf were two model cars. "They're excellent detail." Kat said. She looked back over at Charles. "You have a thing for Trans Ams?"

Charles chuckled. "You might say that."

"Wow, they're so alike." Kat peered closer. "Wait, there is a difference. This one is all black, and this one is painted silver on the bottom. Huh." She gave Charles a quizzical look.

Charles placed the pictures back, covering the model cars. "We should see what Pierce has for us." He said gently. He walked over to the door and held it open for her.

Kat frowned lightly, but allowed herself to be deflected. She walked out of the office with Charles. "By the way." She said slowly. "Apparently Aimée's parent's are divorced." Kat shrugged. "You probably knew that already though." She walked down the walkway.

Charles had a thoughtful expression on his face as he followed her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Knight Rider 2008 Alternate Storyline – Episode 6 – Mission de Sauvetage**

**Chapter 5**

**F.L.A.G Underground Facility**

"Geez KITT, how come you get all the cute ones?" Ian remarked. He was holding the slip of paper Aimée had left on K.I.T.T's dash. A phone number and email address were written on it in black marker.

"What are 'the cute ones'?" K.I.T.T asked him.

"Carmen, Katherine, Aimée..." Ian explained, returning to his desk. "That girl is going to be a knockout when she gets older."

"Cute being a matter of opinion." Pierce said, glancing at Carmen.

"I'm confused." K.I.T.T said. "Are you under the impression that I own Kat?"

Ian gave the car a sympathetic look. "Never mind." He looked over at Carmen, who had her eyes narrowed at Pierce. "Why is it the clueless ones get all the girls?"

"KITT's got looks _and_ brains." Carmen answered. "What's not to love?"

"KITT, are you flirting again?" Kat asked as she and Charles headed down the staircase.

"I do not recall ever engaging in any flirtatious mannerisms." K.I.T.T replied.

"See? Clueless." Ian sighed and shook his head.

"What do you have for us Pierce?" Kat asked.

"I'll let Kai and Rei take over. They did all of the work." Pierce turned to the twins.

"We've managed to plot out David's route through the Knight Industries Building on camera." Rei said.

Kai stretched. "David better give us a raise for this. That was the most mind-numbing six hours of my life."

"Let's see what you got." Kat said.

Rei put the camera footage up on the big screen. The camera quality wasn't the crisp High Definition video that KITT usually took, but it was clear enough. "Here is David when he leaves Kat and Andrew Corlan in Corlan's office." Rei said.

"He was going to go patch KITT into the security system." Kat told everyone.

The video feed switched from one camera to another, following David's progress to the elevator. Then it switched to the camera inside of the elevator.

"This is where the elevator stopped." Pierce said. Sure enough, the elevator lights went out and the red emergency lights came on. Everyone watched as David shot out the button panel, the screen went black. "That man is absolutely insane." Pierce muttered.

The next shot was from outside of the elevator as David opened the doors. Kat's eyebrows shot up. "He did that with an injured shoulder?" She asked in disbelief.

"He says he keeps in shape." Pierce remarked to her quietly. "I suspect robotic limbs."

Kat covered her mouth with her hand, hiding her smile. She glanced over at Charles. That intent look was back on his face as he watched the footage.

"Here he is going into the security office..." Rei said.

"And then coming out." Kai finished. "Now, here is where things get weird..."

The video feed from the next camera was highly distorted. Kat could just barely make out that it showed a stairwell. "David goes in here, then goes missing." Kai said.

"What's causing that distortion?" Kat asked.

"We're not sure, but it shows up on several camera feeds." Rei said. "It seems to center around this one man." She paused the feed. She used her mouse to highlight a dark figure on the screen.

Kat recognized the man, despite the distortion. She knew only one man that dressed all in black like that. "That's the unknown man." She said.

"We can't think who else it might be." Rei said. "You can vaguely see a brief struggle."

"After that it was fairly easy to follow." Kai said. "We just tracked the distorted feeds."

The video switched through several more feeds, all of them highly distorted. "Do you know what is causing that distortion?" Charles asked.

"We can only guess that the unknown man was carrying something on him that affected the cameras." Rei said.

"It's possible." Kai said. "But there is no way of knowing what it was."

"You couldn't enhance the images?" Charles asked.

Kai nodded. "We didn't bother with these. This last bit though..."

"This bit takes place in the underground garage. The unknown man took David down here and placed him in the back of this van." Rei explained. Kat could see that the image was slightly less distorted here. The image cleared when the man left. Rei zoomed in on the back of the van. "No license plates." She said.

"David is trapped here, until the unknown man returns and checks up on him." Kai said.

Kat watched as David leaped out of the back of the van and tackled the bigger man. "I think you might be on to something about those robotic limbs." She muttered to Pierce. The corner of his mouth twitched.

The entire Main Lab watched as David and the unknown man fought. Then David paused. Kat studied David's face. She felt her heart speed up at the look of surprise there. "Why did he stop?" She asked.

They watched as the unknown man had David by the throat. "Why doesn't he fight back?" Kat asked, her voice becoming increasingly anxious. She wasn't sure exactly why, but her heart was pounding now. "What did he see in that man's face?"

"We don't know." Rei said sadly. "He keeps his back to the camera the entire time."

"This confirms what we've suspected." Charles said gravely. "Someone is targeting FLAG."

"The question is who." Pierce said ruefully. "I haven't been able to find any information."

"I have a theory." Charles said quietly.

Pierce turned his attention to the older man. "What theory?"

Charles shook his head. "Not now. If I am wrong, and I hope I am, I do not want to cause unnecessary panic."

"If you have some information that could help..." Pierce began.

"Not now." Charles told him firmly. He glanced quickly at K.I.T.T. "Some of you are not ready."

Pierce didn't say anything further, but he looked very unhappy.

********

David woke tied to a chair. He struggled immediately, but his arms and legs were bound tightly. His hands were tied to the sides of the chair's backrest, so he could not get free. The chair was bolted to the floor. His body ached all over and his head throbbed.

He took in his surroundings. He was in the middle of a large, empty and dark space. A wooden table was in front of him, illuminated by the room's only light.

He waited silently. He had been captured. There was a reason for that. His captors wanted something from him. They would show themselves eventually.

He didn't have to wait long.

He heard footsteps echoing behind him. He didn't turn to look. He wouldn't be able to see who it was till they reached the light, and turning would show nervousness. He just waited, with his back straight and his eyes forward.

It was the unknown man, of course. David's dark eyes followed him as he walked down the length of the table. He placed a black case on the tabletop. He popped open the locks and pulled out a laptop. It was two-toned in color, the top a glossy black, and the bottom silver.

The man placed the laptop on the table and opened it. He started it up. After a moment, he began typing at the keys.

"Don't you ever speak?" David asked in a bored tone.

The man didn't answer. His hands paused on the keys, but David didn't know if he was looking in his direction or not. He wore his dark sunglasses even now.

"Afraid of being recognized?" David asked, raising both eyebrows. "That's why you wear the sunglasses, isn't it? They couldn't change your eyes."

"I would concern yourself with your own situation, Director." Said a deep, rough voice. It was dead. Completely without emotion.

David's eyes narrowed at the laptop, where the voice had come from. The man turned it around, so it faced David. The screen was completely black, save for a yellow line going across it. A yellow light flowed back and forth lazily along the line.

"At the moment, your life hangs from a highly precarious thread." As the voice spoke, the yellow line expanded, bars moving up and down like an equalizer display.

The man walked over to David. He held a silver syringe gun in his hand. He pushed it into David's side and pulled the trigger. David felt that sharp prick again between his ribs.

A few seconds later, a very peculiar odor overcame him. It smelled like rotting onions. He understood immediately. The odor was in his head.

"Sodium Pentothal. Or Truth Serum in layman's terms." David said. "It won't work on me." He said, glaring at the laptop. "While it can be used to suppress higher cortical brain functions, if you are a habitual liar, all it does is make you lie more."

"We shall see." The voice came from the laptop again.

A wave of nausea washed over David. He swallowed hard and shook his head. "So, this is all that's left of you?" He asked. "I read the report. You're body was destroyed. A million pieces, scattered, obliterated." His expression turned indifferent. "Looks like one little, insignificant piece survived."

There was no movement on the laptop screen for a moment. Then the voice came again. "Hurt him." It said dully.

The man in black backhanded David hard across the face. Pain exploded behind his eyes and he slumped to the side. His bonds were the only thing that kept him upright.

Slowly, David turned back to the laptop. He tasted blood. He spat across the table. Flecks of red hit the laptop screen. "You don't scare me." He said, sneering. "Where is that outdated, obsolete CPU Core of yours? How long did it last, damaged as it was? Now you just drift, completely helpless on your own. You're just a ghost in the machine. A mere memory. Nothing but a bad dream." His dark eyes glittered.

The man struck him again. David's vision swam drunkenly. He began to laugh, a little deliriously. "Is this the best you have? Is this all you can do? Act like a bully?" He asked, turning back to the laptop. "Well, KARR?"

"This is only the beginning." The voice from the laptop replied.

Author's Note: If I've done my job as storyteller right, everyone just had an 'OMG!' moment right now. Though a lot of you probably expected this. I hope that everyone is excited about what is coming in the future.

I have a request to make of my readers. I want you guys to tell me what you want to see more of in this storyline. More action? More gratuitous technology? Fan service? Romance? Mystery? Humor? Tell me what I am lacking.

Thank you all for six awesome episodes! Stay tuned for Episode 7!


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